The effect of a reduced sodium intake on post-renal transplantation hypertension in rats

In an experimental model of post-renal transplantation hypertension in rats, we studied the effect of a reduction of sodium intake on the development of this type of hypertension. Systolic blood pressure, plasma renin concentration and renal function were measured regularly in recipients of an allogeneic kidney transplant that had previously undergone active immunological enhancement. Transplant recipients on a normal diet showed a rise in systolic blood pressure during the second week after transplantation. The systolic blood pressure of recipients on a low sodium diet remained normotensive throughout the 15 weeks follow-up period. The plasma renin concentration was low in the hypertensive recipients on a normal diet, as compared with unilaterally nephrectomized controls. Although the plasma renin concentration of recipients on a low sodium diet fell below that of unilaterally nephrectomized controls on a low sodium diet, it was higher than that of recipients on a normal diet. The renal function of transplant recipients was greatly reduced compared with that of control rats. The glomerular filtration rate was reduced to a greater extent than the effective renal plasma flow. In a separate experiment it was revealed that a similar reduction in the glomerular filtration rate of kidneys permanently damaged by temporary ischaemia did not result in an increase in the systolic blood pressure. Survival up to 6 weeks after transplantation was the same for both groups of recipients. Recipients on a low sodium diet, however, showed a better 15 weeks survival, probably owing to the absence of hypertension in this group.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)